Israeli Data Shows Three-Quarters Gaza Detainees Are Civilians

Classified Israeli military intelligence data reveals that only about one in four Palestinians detained from Gaza are identified as fighters, with civilians comprising the vast majority of detainees held without charge or trial under Israel's "unlawful combatants" legislation. This law permits indefinite detention without presenting evidence in court, and many detainees include medical workers, teachers, civil servants, children, the elderly, and disabled individuals, often held under abusive conditions. Investigations by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call indicate that Israel had detained over 6,000 Palestinians by May 2023, while its military intelligence database listed only 1,450 as militants. Reports also highlight egregious cases such as an 82-year-old woman with Alzheimer's jailed for six weeks and a single mother separated from her children, illustrating the harsh treatment of civilians. The Sde Teiman military base even held many elderly and sick prisoners in a section dubbed the "geriatric pen," with testimonies describing appalling conditions including torture. Human rights organizations and the United Nations have condemned these practices as violations of international law and unacceptable treatment of detainees.